A C T I O N F O R E Q U I T Y I N H E A LT HThe Massachusetts Public Health Association

Myra Kraft Open Classroom SeriesThe Food System: Sustainability, Health and Equity

J A N U A R Y 2 5 , 2 0 1 7

MPHA

The Massachusetts Public Health Association is a private, non-profit 501c3, statewide membership organization that promotes a healthy Massachusetts through advocacy, education, community organizing, and coalition-building. We are the catalyst for change, eliminating health inequities and creating healthy communities for all.

Our focus is on policies and programs that prevent illness, disease, and injury, particularly among those vulnerable to disparities in health status.

Access to Healthy Affordable Food

Ensuring all communities have access to healthy affordable food

Launch of the Massachusetts Food Trust Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Access Mass-in-Motion Funding

Healthy Built Environment Providing access to healthy, stable and affordable housing and

transportation options

Fair Share Constitutional Amendment to Fund Transportation Housing Production Legislation Family Homelessness Prevention & Services

Community Health Integration

Expanding the reach of the health care system beyond the clinic walls by focusing on the underlying social determinants of family and neighborhood

health

Continuation of the Prevention & Wellness Trust Fund Social Determinants of Health in Health Care Community Health Worker Certification and Inclusion in ACO Payments/Care Teams

Universal Public Health Protections

Strengthening state and local health departments, service providers, and communities to provide foundational protections such as substance use

prevention, communicable disease control, & food safety

Substance Use Disorder Treatment Funding Diversion to Treatment from Incarceration Bureau of Environmental Health Funding Public Health Protections in the Implementation of Recreational Marijuana

Economic Justice

Ensuring all people have the economic resources needed to be healthy, support their families, and live with dignity

Paid Family Medical Leave Fight for $15 - Minimum Wage Increase

MPHA Policy Agenda 2017-2018

Integrating Health Into All Policies | Combating Institutional Racism Reducing Poverty

G O O D F O R J O B S , G O O D F O R C O M M U N I T I E S , G O O D F O R H E A LT H

The Massachusetts Food Trust

Communities with Limited Access to Healthy Foods

The Grocery Access Task Force, a group of public and private sector leaders who met for two years to tackle this problem, identified large swaths of urban and rural Massachusetts that suffer from lack of access to grocery stores.

Many of these same communities are struggling economically and lack good job opportunities for local residents.

Manon M., Harries C., Treering D. (2010). Food for Every Child: The Need forMore Supermarkets in Massachusetts. Philadelphia, PA: The Food Trust.

Massachusetts Food Trust – What?

Flexible financing to meet community needs

To support new and expanded healthy food retailers and create jobs in local food enterprises in low and moderate income communities

To provide loans, grants, and technical assistance

 

 “Too many neighborhoods in Lowell struggle economically, too many residents lack access tohealthy food—The Food Trust will tackle both challenges at once, it will transform communities.”

– Francey Slater, Co-Founder & Co-Director,

Mill City Grows

A Proven National Model

Modeled on a proven national strategy, the Massachusetts Food Trust would use public seed funds to spur significant private investment, drive economic growth, and create strong local job opportunities.

 

Government

• Provide seed funding• Oversee program

implementation

Community Development Financial Institution and Food Access

Organization

• Raise private capital• Determine applicant eligibility• Provide financing• Market program• Provide technical assistance

Projects in Low & Moderate Income Communities

• Grocery and corner stores• Co-ops, farmers markets,

mobile markets, etc.• Local food production and

distribution

MA Food Trust Legislative Wins

Established in law in 2014 in the Environmental Bond Bill Additional language to support the Massachusetts Food Trust in the

FY2016 state budget$100,000 for the operating costs of the Massachusetts Food Trust

program in the FY2017 operating budgetA $6 million authorization for the capital costs of the Massachusetts

Food Trust program in the Economic Development Bill signed by Governor Baker August 10, 2016

An Act Improving Public Health through a Common Application for Core Food, Health and

Safety-net Programs

SNAP Gap and Common App

The SNAP gap refers to the 680,000 people who are receiving Mass Health and likely eligible for SNAP, but aren’t receiving benefits.

MassHealth and SNAP, as well as many other safety-net programs, have separate application processes that ask for the same basic information, duplicating efforts and creating more work for both the state and clients.

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200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,443,000Masshealth recipients potentially eligible for SNAP

763,000SNAPrecipients

57

680,000Possible SNAP Gap

How big is the SNAP Gap?

Benefits of closing the SNAP Gap

Streamline and improve the efficiency of the application process for core food, health, housing and other safety-net programs for Massachusetts residents.

Increase access to 100% federally-funded nutrition dollars for low income households.

Help more low income residents meet their basic needs and lower healthcare costs.

Boost automatic certification for children for free school meals.Generate $1.5 billion in economic stimulus to the state and local

economy. Increase food access for over 100,000 Massachusetts elders.

Healthy Eating Community of Practice

The Healthy Eating CoP seeks to address the cost and accessibility of healthy food options in key food access points such as retail. Massachusetts has almost 100 census tracts with low access to food, defined by the USDA as a combination of low-income status and burdensome distance from food retail.

The CoP has worked with partners on policy actions such supporting the work of the MA Food Policy Council’s statewide food plan, healthy food financing initiatives, and connecting with local communities to ensure that consumers have healthy food options which are accessible and affordable.

Kristina St. CyrMassachusetts Public Health Association

857-263-7072 x109kstcyr@mapublichealth.org

Twitter: @MAPublicHealthFacebook: ActionforAHealthyMass

Web: www.mapublichealth.org